Chef critique
Dungeness Crab, Leek & Potato Chowder
A clear, well-structured chowder recipe that makes smart use of mashed potatoes for thickening, though the broth base and potatoes are noticeably underseasoned.
Score: 7/10
Suggested fixes
- Increase the Morton kosher salt to 1 teaspoon total: add 1/4 teaspoon when sweating the leeks in Step 3, and 3/4 teaspoon with the potatoes and water in Step 4.
- Taste and adjust seasoning after folding in the crab in Step 6, as the salinity of whole cooked crab can vary.
Issues
- medium / flavor: 1/2 teaspoon of Morton kosher salt (about 2.4g) is underseasoned for 12 ounces of potatoes, 8 ounces of leeks, 1 1/4 cups of plain water, and 1 3/4 cups of unsalted dairy, even accounting for the natural salinity of cooked Dungeness crab.
- low / clarity: Step 1 combines preparing two distinct vegetables (leeks and potatoes) in a single paragraph, though it remains easy to follow.
- low / flavor: Simmering the potatoes in plain water while discarding all the crab shells misses an easy opportunity to infuse crab flavor into the liquid, or to season the leeks as they sweat.
Strengths
- Instructions begin with thorough prep, including realistic guidance on cleaning leeks and picking a whole Dungeness crab.
- Ingredient amounts and bulleted lists are formatted cleanly and match the ingredient list accurately.
- Cooking technique is sound: sweating leeks gently, mashing a portion of the potatoes to thicken the base without flour, and warming the cooked crab gently at the end.